The Importance of Wearing Shoes
by Merkswinter
Summary: Edward Elric has an unfortunate collision with Colonel Mustang’s desk. Roy is left to deal with the consequences...poor man. RoyxEd MxM Yaoi
1. Chapter 1

I am sorry! I'm sure with the amount of stuff I've been typing up lately everyone must be getting sick of me : ). I've now finished my exams so I've got a lot of free time (two weeks agh!) so I'll probably be typing up a lot more than usual. I'm going to be home alone, take piiiiity! XD

This just kind of popped into my head and shouldn't affect the writing of Fullmetal Fun (is writing lots of stories at the same time a bad thing??).

Anyway...hope you enjoy and please review! I had so much fun writing this I'd like to know if you had fun reading it too!

I hold no rights over Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

Thoughts italics in '' e.g _'Oh...my...God...'_

xXx

Edward Elric ran, the harsh claps of his footfall's echoing through military command's hallways, stunning hapless passers by.

'_I'm going to be late! I'm going to be late!'_

Out of _all_ the days he could have overslept it _had _to be today...not that Fullmetal had ever been known for his excellent fortune. Edward was traditionally unlucky, his brother being stuck in a suit of armour and him having lost two of his limbs was proof of that. Oversleeping today was probably Fate yet again giving Fullmetal another good slap, which apparently was one of her favourite pass-times.

Glancing at his watch Ed's eyebrows shot up in horror and he swiftly quickened his pace.

Five minutes to nine...

For some unfathomable reason Mustang had been really pissy with Edward lately.

It was as if the man was going out of his way to make Ed hate him!

Any minor infraction of some long forgotten military code would mean instant punishment. For example, Fullmetal had spent the whole of last Saturday cleaning all (literally _all_)the urinals in the central building because apparently Ed's shoelaces weren't tied according to military regulation. _SHOELACES!! All the urinals in central for shoelaces!!_

Ed was so desperate to get to this nine o'clock meeting on time because if the colonel could ditch him on urinal duty for _shoelaces,_ what would Ed be made to do if he was _late_?! The possibilities were _endless_...Fullmetal wasn't sure if public flaying was now illegal but he wouldn't put it past Mustang...that man was a tyrant...

Ed suddenly found himself caught up in thoughts about the colonel. '_It's not as if he's __**that**__ bad,'_ a little voice in the eighteen year olds mind began '_You'd happily scrub all the urinals in __**AMETRIS**__ if it got him to look at you the way he does sometimes...' _

This was too much for the blonde. He was having enough trouble stressing over being late, let alone over his completely irrational attraction for a certain dark haired colonel. Swiftly shutting up any troublesome romantically inclined thoughts he continued to run, praying that his watch wasn't slow.

Two minutes to go...

'_At this rate I'm never going to make it on time!_' the Elric desperately thought.

It was time for drastic measures...

The boots were going to have to go.

They were the Jurassic stereotypical military issue boot that people have trouble walking, let alone _running _in. The army for some reason felt it necessary to force these torture devices of footwear upon all their hapless troops. At the moment they were seriously impeding Ed's speed and he hoped that without them he might just make it on time...

Pausing for a few precious moments he wrestled with the boots, fighting to get them off. After ten seconds of frantic struggling Fullmetal's feet were finally liberated. Ready for action!

He set off again, ignoring the shocked looks from military personnel. Admittedly they had cause to be surprised, it's not every day you see one of the nation's most esteemed alchemists run amok in a pair of rather fetching navy blue socks.

One minute left...

He was going to make it!

Edward couldn't believe how much faster he could run without the boots! If he'd known before he would have made a point of coming with no shoes on! Socks rule! It was because of them that he was going to be saved from whatever torment the colonel would have conjured up for him.

Thirty seconds...

He could see the door! If he could just keep up the speed he was going to arrive with time to spare!

'_You'll not get me this time Mustang...' _Ed thought with a smug grin, putting the last of his energy into the final spurt, wanting to arrive with a bang.

What is it they say..? Be careful what you wish for? Edward was going to arrive with a bang, although it wasn't going to be quite the sort he had expected..

Pelting through the door with a triumphant "SAFE!", clock just clicking to nine, Fullmetal remembered two important facts. _Very_ important facts.

Military command's floors were highly polished.

He was wearing only socks, somewhat lacking in the helpful grip department that shoes are known to provide.

This was a _bad_ combination.

_He couldn't stop! _Ed was unable to prevent himself from skimming across the office floor, still at high speed, socks making a comical squeaking noise as he went.

The shocked open mouthed faces of Havoc and Rizza flew past him as he skid down the centre of the room, headed on a direct course to Mustang's desk, complete with stunned Mustang seated behind it.

He was going to crash! Right into colonel bastard's solid oak bloody desk! This was going to _hurt!_

_Yes_, Edward Elric certainly did arrive with a bang, or, rather, with a _**skiiiiiiiid**__, a __**WHAM**__, and a __**"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DESK?!"**_

Just before he lost consciousness, feeling a sharp pain in his ankle, Ed wondered whether he was going to be in trouble for this...

To be continued.

xXx

What do you think? Perhaps I have finally learnt the art of the true cliff-hanger...

I hope you enjoyed it and please review, they make me update faster, hint hint.

Oh! I have also got my own laptop back. YES! I'd forgotten how nice it is to type on a keyboard you don't have to pummel...

Please review! Merkswinter xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Update of fire! I'm working on my other pieces too but this one was jabbing at me till I wrote it down so I went with it.

Please review!

I hold no rights over Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

Thoughts in italics, e.g: '_Oh my God...'_

Review replies:

Rethira- Yay! I'm glad you're finding it funny : ). Yeah, I kind of feel sorry for Ed too, mean Mustang! XD

Yengirl- Thank you! I'll try and keep on top of the updates (hides from menacing glare XD), oh dear Roy was a bit evil with the urinals, but it will all be resolved : ). Oh, and the frog looks forward to seeing you soon, when I get my act together, that is : ).

mrawgirl09- Short and sweet : ). Glad you like it.

Misty-Nala- Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. All that sliding about on the floor sounds like fun, I bet you must have had a few Ed-type accidents too though, ouch! XD Here's the update for you!

simplyEarthian- Thank you for the review! Here's the next part! I hope you like this chapter, thanks again!

Syao9- Thank you! I'm glad you liked the description, I always get paranoid that I put in too little. Anyway, here's the update. Thank you!

xXx

Ed awoke to the smell of hospitals.

His head and ankle were _throbbing,_ the pain a dull pulse, not enough to be serious but quite sufficient to make Fullmetal groan.

Cracking his eyes open he was greeted with the bleached white of a hospital ceiling. _'So I'll be lying down then.'_ he concluded, taking from the sensation of a pillow and blankets that he was in bed.

"You know shrimp, for a moment there I was hopeful you weren't going to wake up."

The instantly recognisable voice yanked Ed from his silent analysis of his surroundings.

"MUSTANG?!" Snapping up in bed only to be forced down again by the protesting pain in his head, Ed looked to the side and was greeted with the sight of a very moody looking colonel. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Well _Ed,_" The man's tone was just as cheerful as his appearance. "after you trashed my desk with that metal leg of yours and passed out, Lieutenant Hawkeye decided you needed medical attention. Unfortunately, I was the only one with enough time on my hands to take you to the hospital. So," Ed was presented with a frown. "that's why you have the pleasure of waking up to my presence, Fullmetal."

"I trashed your desk with my auto-mail...?" Realisation dawned. "Is it OK?! My auto-mail, not the desk. I mean, it can take some serious knocks but your _desk_?!" Ed was beginning to get worried, he _so _didn't need a spanner in the head from Winry right now, it hurt enough already...

"Your auto-mail's fine." Ed heaved a sigh of relief and Mustang continued. "Unfortunately, my desk, however, isn't. Oh, and if you hadn't noticed your ankle's broken, the non-metal one, I mean."

"Broken?!" Pulling up the covers to look, Ed groaned for the second time that day. His toes were peeping out at him from a blaringly red cast that went all the way up to his knee...great, just great...

"I picked the colour for you, I thought it would match your coat." Mustang at least appeared to be getting some joy from the blonde's predicament.

"Why _thank you_ colonel..." Ed tried to fit as much sarcasm as humanly possible into the words.

"No problem _Edward, _anyway I'd better go and tell the doctor that you're awake, you hit your head pretty hard, you know." The man rose from his sitting position beside the bed and head for the door. "But then," He began, turning to look back at Ed. "I suppose that's what you get for running around with no shoes on, isn't it Fullmetal?" And with that Mustang disappeared from the room smirking smugly, leaving Ed to silently fume.

Talk about kicking a man when he was down!

Ed was so busy cogitating over his personal grievances that he didn't notice the nurse peeping through the room's small window, and only registered her presence when she hurried inside.

"You're conscious!" Her face crinkled into a pleased grin. "You were out for some time, are you experiencing any serious pains?" She earnestly enquired, scrabbling in her pocket for a notebook and pen.

"Umm..." He thought for a moment. "Nothing that I shouldn't expect, just a few aches and pains really." It was the truth, after he'd woken up a bit the pain had gone down considerably.

"That's good!" The nurse's smile widened and then suddenly fell when she looked about the room. "But, where's your friend?"

"My friend?" That left Ed confused. What friend?

"The man who was with you. He was terribly worried about you, kept on asking whether you'd be alright and staying beside you the whole time you were out!" The nurse continued to natter and Ed gawped. "You broke your ankle pretty badly, so while we were setting it you struggled a bit from the pain even when unconscious. But he, well, he settled you right down, soothing like...stroking your hair..." To his horror she began to blush and giggle. "He even held your hand! Are you sure that you don't know him?"

Ed's jaw had dropped so far he was worried he was going to dislocate it. No way...there was just no way that _Mustang_...evil dictator colonel _Mustang_ would _ever_...just no way. She must have got the wrong person, although...Ed couldn't really imagine anyone it actually _could _have been.

He had to check.

"Do you mean a dark haired man in military uniform?" Ed's scientifically minded mind urged him to be more specific. "Kind of pale and, well..." He swallowed, there was no denying it, he was going to have to use the word. "Handsome?"

The nurse didn't get to answer the question as an amusedly smug voice drifted across the room blocking off any possible answer.

"So you think I'm handsome then, Fullmetal?"

Ed almost swallowed his tongue.

Of all the times for him to turn up! Didn't Mustang have a big enough ego already without having to add Ed's humiliation to it?

The man must have been in the doorway, doctor in tow, just in time to hear the blonde's description of himself. Fantastic, he was no doubt going to have to put up with constant jibes for this later, as if he didn't have enough to deal with already.

Stepping into the room Mustang flashed a grin at the nurse causing a blush comparable to a supernova, she mumbled star struck apologies and hurried out of the room. '_Damn Colonel trying to be so smooth.'_ Ed mentally grumbled, not without a hint of jealousy. _'Why doesn't he smile at me like that instead of anything in a skirt?' _Realising what he had just thought Fullmetal swiftly beat his straying mind down...'_not the time...not the time...'._

After a few moments Ed realised that the doctor was speaking. He had been so busy mentally assaulting himself that he hadn't noticed.

"...on the whole you should be fine, give your ankle about six weeks in the cast and it should be as good as new." Ed hoped he hadn't missed anything important. "_But_ during the healing period you'll need to be on crutches, and for the next few days you're going to have to keep that leg up and get plenty of rest."

'_Plenty of rest, like that's ever going to happen! Not with Colonel-Tyrant on my case.' _Cynicism etched Fullmetal's thoughts.

The doctor continued.

"Seeing as your friend's already collected the crutches we'll just need to put you in a wheel-chair so you don't have to walk out of the hospital."

Ed froze.

He was _not _going in a wheel-chair. They reminded him too much...too much of when he had first lost his arm and leg, not yet fitted with auto-mail. He had hated that time, how the stumps of his two limbs were a constant reminder of his sin...

Roy, still calmly observing the blonde, frowned at Ed's reaction. He noticed how Fullmetal's whole body seized up at the mention of a wheelchair. He didn't like it.

Stepping forward, Mustang calmly stated. "A wheelchair won't be necessary doctor."

"Oh? But then, how will he be able to walk from..." the doctor didn't need to finish his question as Mustang's actions had already answered it.

Moving towards the bed the colonel had scooped up Ed bridal style into his arms, using Fullmetal's astonishment to his advantage, Ed would _never _have allowed Mustang to do this if fully alert.

Edward, still in a state of astonishment from his sudden transition from the warm hospital bed to being carried by the colonel, merely stared as the man thanked the doctors and nurses and exited the room, still holding Ed.

Both pretending not to notice the giggles and blushes of female nurses and patients alike, the pair progressed in silence, that is, until Mustang broke it with a question.

"Why did you freeze up when he mentioned the wheelchair?" The man had lowered his voice to prevent any passers by from hearing.

"They...uh...hold some bad memories for me." Ed didn't particularly feel like going into the subject.

"Oh..."Mustang decided not to push for further information, it was obviously a difficult topic for the teen and he didn't want to upset the blonde.

"Thanks..."

"Hmm?"

"For um, getting me out of the whole wheelchair thing, thank you."

"Oh." Mustang smiled down at him and Ed was terrified that he was going to blush. "You don't need to thank me, I could see you were uncomfortable with the idea so I decided to step in. No worries."

Continuing to look up at the man holding him, a warm sensation rose in Fullmetal's chest. He contemplated what had just been said. _'He...noticed..? He did this for me? Maybe... maybe the colonel isn't so bad.'_

Roy, however, with amazing talent, managed to effectively destroy the entire tender moment with his next sentence.

"You're bloody heavy Fullmetal."

A new flush of anger worked its way across Edward's face. "What do you expect?! I've got a metal arm and leg! You're going to end up throwing your back out, old man."

The colonel snorted in response. "I'm twenty-nine, Ed, hardly an 'old man'."

"Yeah, well..." There was an odd hint of tenderness to Mustang's teasing that Ed didn't usually detect. '_Could it be that he..?_'

During their conversation the pair had left the hospital and emerged onto its vast car-park.

"I'm parked over there." Mustang indicated with a nod of his head, arms occupied in carrying Edward. "I'll drive you home, no doubt Al's worrying about you."

"Thanks..." From his position in the colonel's arms he could smell his cologne, rich and musky, the man's chest was firm and warm.

After a minutes walking they arrived at the car. Ed could see a pair of hazy silver crutches lying on the back seat.

By some feat of sheer ingenuity and muscle power, Mustang managed to unlock the car door _still _holding Ed, even managing to slip Fullmetal gracefully onto the passenger seat. Once sure Edward was securely seated, the colonel moved his way around to take his own position behind the steering wheel.

When they were on the road a comfortable silence settled across the car. The colonel tapped his fingers against the steering wheel in a content sort of way, and Ed stared out of the window, taking in the blur of houses and shops that was central.

"Err...sorry about the whole desk thing." Ed felt it was only fair he offered some sort of apology, the man had been acting strangely nice to him, after all.

"Don't worry about it, it was an accident. I was going to be provided with a new desk anyway."

"Huh?" That one threw Ed off, he had been expecting some typical sarcastic reply. "Really?"

"Yep." Ed heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, except you will be having to do another week-end of bathroom duty as punishment."

Mustang was getting really good at destroying the mood.

"WHAT?!" Ed was outraged. This was so like the colonel to lure him into a false sense of security then throw it in his face. "But, you said it was an accident!! You can't punish me for an accident! You're getting a new stupid desk anyway!"

"The punishment's not for the desk, Ed."

"Huh? But...I didn't do anything else...did I?" Edward desperately scanned his mind for any recent rule breaking but found nothing.

"You came into the office in incomplete uniform, Fullmetal, which is a punishable offence."

The blonde's mind went 'click'.

"You mean...because I wasn't wearing any shoes?" Edward's voice was the calm before the storm.

Mustang gave a nod.

Ed exploded.

"What the HELL is your problem?!" His voice was amplified by the small space of the car. "Why are you being such a dick lately?!" This was probably going to get him into even more trouble but Ed didn't care, Mustang _deserved _a good shouting at. "I get in trouble for everything I do around you now, do you get off on it or something you sick bastard?!"

"Now Ed, I'm merely following protocol." The colonel's voice was infuriatingly calm. "If one of my subordinates...it is my duty to punish them accordingly.

"No its not!!" It was so unfair! "Havoc's come in LOADS of times hung-over or missing parts of his uniform and you've never done anything to HIM!! Why are you just picking on me?!"

No answer presented itself, but Ed had to know.

"Why me Mustang?!"

"Why you?" The words were still calm, but seemed somehow strained around the edges. "Well, Ed, you could say..." Mustang turned to look at him, gaze steely. "It's because I hate you."

_Hate...hate...hate... _The word spun round and round in Edward's head. Even though he was furious with the man he was still distraught. '_Mustang can't hate me, he can't hate me! Isn't going to smile at me anymore?' _

Amidst the despair a whisper of hope came into Ed's mind. '_What about before! What the nurse said, what about that..?' _This, however, soon also turned into anger. From what he'd heard, Mustang _couldn't _hate him, so _why _was the bastard lying?! Was this just another way to screw around with him?

"Oh yeah?!" Ed hissed at the colonel, words bitter and harsh. "If you hate me so much, then _why _were you holding my hand when I was unconscious?!" The man's eyes widened and Ed continued, sensing he'd hit upon something. "Did you have fun stroking my hair Mustang?! Explain that one to me..._Roy_..."

And in the sudden silence that followed the only sound in the car was the thrum of its engine.

_Explain that one to me..._

To be continued...

xXx

On the whole I'm pretty pleased with this chapter. I always seem to start a story with a really short chappy then king of get into it, which is hopefully a good way of going about this.

Oh and Mustang's strange behaviour will be explained in the next chapter, so I hope you all look forward to it. (Trying to force people to continue reading...XD master plan)

I hope you enjoyed it and please review!


	3. Chapter 3

New chapter!! I'm sorry about being so slow, life has been hectic of late. I got the best response I've _ever had _from the previous chapter so thank you so much to all of you, nothing motivates me like your support.

A thank you to:

xKyuux, darkkitty109, XOne.By.One.X, Sichiyou yoru, kreayl, Full Flame Deamon, Chibeh, Neon Green69, Kathy Lee Skyler, Rethira, Netami-Fire, heavensangelQ, ThexYaoixNinja, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, Syao9, Roman C Lee, Misty-Nala, ,Misa Ootori, Bar Ohki, Faydora, mrawgirl09 and Yengirl

I cannot thank you all enough! :3

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, I just want Roy and Ed...

Please review!

xXx

The silence hurt Ed's ears.

Mustang still hadn't answered. It was as if he was trying to block Ed out. Sitting stiffly in his seat, knuckles white on the wheel and jaw clenched, Roy was more of a statue than a man.

Ed's impatience was getting the better of him. _How could Roy ignore him like that?! Like he was some lowly subordinate that Mustang could simply toss aside when not needed._

"Well Mustang, aren't you going to answer me?! Scared, are you?" Edward's anger was turning him vicious. Part of him was telling him to stop now, before he said something he knew he would regret, that he shouldn't be controlled by his temper.

Needless to say his emotions got the better of him.

He had already tried asking nicely so if that wasn't going to work he was just going to have to use different methods, wasn't he?

"Aww, _poor_ colonel," Ed's voice was condescending. He knew he was being a dick but he didn't care, Mustang deserved it. His conscience had been overpowered by the angry roar in his head, and Ed wanted to keep _digging_ and _digging_ into Mustang until he found something that really _hurt._

Something that hurtjust like he was hurting.

"Are you scared of big nasty Fullmetal when he's not asleep?" Continuing a cruel grin began to spread across Edward's features. "After all, we all know how you like to get cuddly with me when I'm unconscious." Mustang visibly flinched and Ed's smile widened.

'_Hit a nerve did I?'_

He decided to go in for the kill.

Leaning towards Mustang, ignoring the reluctant twinge in his ankle, Ed moved in until his mouth was level with Roy's ear, breath disturbing the man's raven locks. Emboldened by anger Ed tauntingly slipped his hand up the other man's thigh, voice coming as a poisonous whisper. "What..? Don't you want to hold my hand..._Colonel_?"

Roy slammed on the breaks.

The screeching of tyres reverberated through the car and Ed was thrown back onto his chair as the car shuddered to a halt, a shooting pain in his ankle from the sudden movement.

In the now stationary car Mustang turned stared straight at Edward. "**Get out.**" The words were steely and sharp.

Edward's malicious anger was quickly receding and turning into fear at the sudden hostility of his companion.

Roy looked...scary. His eyes were devoid of any warmth and flashing dangerously at Ed, his jaw clenched and white knuckled hands balled into fists. For the first time Ed was able to understand how this man could wield such a fearsome reputation.

Rationality returned as fear of the man he so much admired stung through his brain. _'Did I push him too far..?' _

Unconsciously shrinking back in his chair Ed murmured "W-what?"

"I said get out." Roy's voice was just as dead and cold as before, gone was the smooth silky richness that used to warm some deep inner part of Fullmetal. "You can walk from here."

"B-but Roy..." Ed hated how weak his voice sounded when faced with this hostile stranger that he had known as Roy Mustang. "M-my ankle, you can't ask someone with a broken ankle to get out and walk..."

It was as if the words had flicked a switch in Mustang. The feral anger that had been apparent in his face moments before began to smooth away, replaced by such a look of hurt and self loathing that Edward felt compelled to look away.

Putting his face in his hands Roy murmured "N-no, of course I can't."

"I...I'm sorry..." Ed whispered the apology scared that the threatening different Roy was going to return.

"No!" The loudness of Roy's voice from behind his hands made Fullmetal jump. "Don't be sorry... you don't need to be sorry...it's my fault...if anyone should be sorry it's me, Ed...I'm so sorry Ed..." The words faded away as a pained whisper.

A glistening clear liquid slowly began to leak from between the fingers covering Mustang's face, and the gentle sound of a broken man's sobs filled the car.

"Roy..." Edward was stunned, this couldn't be happening. Roy was always so composed, so strong, so..._Roy_... It was hard to believe that the man breaking before him was the same man who had saved him countless times before. It was as if he was witnessing something indecent.

"Don't look at me...no one's ever meant to see me...like this." Mustang's voice was shaky from crying.

Fullmetal felt helpless in the situation, he didn't know how to respond.

Unsurely reaching out Ed placed a hand on Mustang's shoulder, rubbing it in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

"Come on now," Edward mentally cringed at how it sounded as if he was comforting a toddler, but it was the best he could do. "Don't talk like that, everyone gets upset sometimes."

It was hard to cover his surprise when a warm hand moved to cover his own, squeezing the fingers tight as if checking they were really there.

Mustang looked at Ed, tearstained face now uncovered by his hands, something like resolve in his eyes.

"Do you...do you still want to know why I've been acting in such a way towards you, Fullmetal?" Roy's voice was oddly business like, the words came out sounding like a mission briefing, as if he was removing himself from the situation.

Recollection jolted through Edward. In all the excitement he had actually forgotten what he had asked Mustang in the first place. _He was finally going to get some answers._

"If by 'acting in such a way' you mean being a complete bastard then yes, I still want to know." The moment he said the words Ed regretted them. He had meant the sentence in a cocky, jovial, _normal _sort of way, but now he was terrified that they were going to trigger the terminator style Mustang of moments before.

Ed wasn't in suspense for long as Roy gave a laugh at the statement, it was weak, yes, but it made Ed glow inside as it showed the return of the usual Roy Mustang, _his _Roy Mustang.

"If you're sure you want to know..." Roy's face was at an odd contrast with his voice. His tone still retained some of the amusement from before, although Ed wasn't sure if it was forced, but from his face it looked as if Roy was waiting to be court-martialled.

"It's...it's because..." The words started and then stopped. Mustang tried again. "It's because..."

When no answer seemed forthcoming Ed decided to give Roy a nudge (Fullmetal despite it all _still _was an impatient person). "Because..?"

The intervention seemed to spur Roy on as a determination came into the man's eyes and the hand gripping Ed's gave a fierce squeeze, as if never letting go.

"Because I can't allow myself to become any more attached to you than I already am."

"What..?" The words didn't register properly, Ed needed to hear them again.

Roy sighed and diligently repeated. "Because I can't allow myself to become any more attached to you than I already am."

Edward's mind went 'click'.

"You mean..." The words were hesitant but hopeful. "You're being such a bastard...because you like me?"

"Yes Ed, I'm being such a bastard because I like you." Roy's voice was still in formality mode, he was sure there was something wrong with that wording.

"You...like me?" Edward's voice was bordering on euphoric.

"Yes."

"Really?" Better safe than sorry.

"Yes."

After the initial joy had settled in Fullmetal's mind whirred into motion. "But then..." The words were at a heavy contrast with his previous unquestioning delight. "Why were you being such an ass if you like me? That doesn't work out."

"It does Ed." Roy sounded more like a robot than a person. "I had to be cruel for my own sake as much as yours, because..." The hand holding Edwards slipped away to return to Mustang's side. "I saw how you looked at me sometimes, Ed, and...I found myself looking back at you in the same way. Such an attachment to one of my subordinates no less, could be detrimental to my career, not to mention yours. There is the matter of the age gap also, and..." Mustang's voice faltered, and he turned to look Ed straight in the eyes. "I've killed people, Ed, that's why."

'_It's for my own sake as much as yours, Ed. Such an attachment...' _The words bit and stung at Fullmetal, returning some of his previous fire. Roy rated his _career _above _him?!_

"But...what if I don't care? What if I don't care Mustang?!" He was almost shouting but he didn't care, Roy's eyes widening in surprise. "I haven't exactly got the best track record either! Look at my dead mother and tin can of a brother for proof of that!"

Tears had begun to form in his eyes but Ed was so caught up in the moment that he didn't notice.

"How can you let something pathetic like your _career _get in the way of what we could be?! We could be happy Roy, don't you see that." The words trailed off into an upset silence, Edward stared at the floor, at his blaring red beacon of a cast.

"Life isn't all about happiness, Ed..." Mustang's words were quiet but they had lost the starchy falseness of before.

Ed's head snapped right back up at Roy's latest statement, chest full of righteous indignation. "Everything is about happiness!! If you're not striving for happiness then why live at all?! Or are you still only bothered with your career, colonel wannabe-fuhrer." The insult had no real venom in it, both of them could tell, Fullmetal was tired, physical and emotional exhaustion taking their toll.

"Ed..."

"Shut up!" He was too tired to deal with any more arguing, terminator Roy or not.

"I'm sorry."

The two words that could possibly fix things.

"Huh?" Fullmetal's attention was instantly recaptured. _'Is Roy..?'_

"I'm sorry." The words were thick with genuine remorse. "I didn't think about how my actions would affect you Ed. I only thought of my own feelings...never of yours."

"You're...sorry?"

"Yes Ed, I'm sorry." The repetition of the words soothed and calmed.

"Really?" Hope lingered.

"Truly." Certainty was attained.

Ed paused for a moment as if thinking, a grin beginning slowly to creep across his features. "I think I can forgive you." He murmured, gently moving towards Roy capturing the other mans lips with his own, a healing process.

It was the couple's first kiss, warm and tender with a slight tang of salt from Roy's previous tears. Their lips met and they both wished they could remain like that for the rest of their lives, captured in the moment, an eternal kiss...

Sadly their kiss was far from eternal.

It lasted for a few seconds.

It only lasted for a few seconds because the lorry hurtling towards Mustang's car wouldn't let it last any longer.

Yes, Edward Elric's and Roy Mustang's first kiss was delicate and warm, caring and sweet, broken apart with a deafening crunch...

_Love rhymes with hideous car wreck..._

"I'm sorry Ed..."

xXx

That chapter wasn't very funny at all, was it? There was a lot of dialogue in that chapter so I hope you all didn't get bored, you'll have to tell me if you did.

The line before last is a reference to the Blood Brothers song, love sadly doesn't rhyme with hideous car wreck but it seemed fitting.

Please don't hurt me for the cliffy...:3

Please review! They make me work faster :D.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! Back again! I was a bit ashamed of the last chapter so I've tried to improve this one significantly. Yet again apologies for slowness, I've just been having a bit of trouble hiding from civilisation lately.

Please review (dreams about reaching the 100 review mark) and no one writes like a happy writer (nudge nudge) :D

Thank you to:

Forbidden Angel of Darkness, Cloaked Nocturne XV, Aftonen, Coolfal, Bar-Ohki, lovelessotaku03, NeonGreen69, kreayl, Yengirl, Syao9, X.One.By.One.X, Maybe I am Batman Maybe Im, mrawgirl09, hugesandkisses1, xKyuux, Synneofthesun, darkkitty109, gurl.from.damnation, heavensangelQ, foxfeather1337, Rethira, Nanaya, Roman C Lee.

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist at all...my back hurts...

xXx

Edward Elric once again blinked awake to a hospital ceiling and a vast amount of pain.

He hurt. A lot.

It felt as though he had been rammed through a mincer and gummed back together on the other side, on the whole not a very pleasant sensation.

His mind was fuzzy but Ed was pretty sure there was something wrong with waking up back in hospital the day after you'd been discharged.

_He had been discharged, hadn't he?_

A buzzing nag stung at his consciousness at the thought, followed up by the ominous feeling that he'd forgotten something important. Something very, very important. This menacing sensation, however, was no match for Ed's tiredness, which in its strength shooed away the mosquito like buzz of memory, telling it to wait until he'd had more time to appreciate the soft white sea of his pillow and blankets.

Attempting to nestle more comfortably under the covers, but finding this action twanged various aching muscles, Edward decided to lay still.

Perfect...or rather, it _would have been _perfect, had that irritating _thing _pushing at his mind would have gone away when he had told it to, persistent git.

Eventually finding it impossible to return to the gentle world of sleep with the stinging in his brain (also due to the awakening of innumerable pains throughout his body) Ed gave up, returning to drowsily stare at the ceiling.

White.

Had the hospital's décor been a little more interesting it probably would have prevented Edward from turning to the important question of why he was staring at this white ceiling. Namely, why he was in _hospital_ and therefore _able_ to stare at this white ceiling. More accurately, _why he was in hospital at all._

Doing this was actually quite hard for the still fuzzy minded Elric. He remembered leaving the hospital with Mustang, but that was about it. The only other thing for him to go on being a blurry feeling that something had happened that had then been cut off, although what _it _actually was or how it had been cut off was a mystery to him.

Ugh...just thinking about it was tiring...

"You're awake!"

The excited call yanked Edward from his ponderings. It was the nurse from before, she rushed into the room instantly pressing a button calling for a doctor.

"I can't believe it! You should have been out far longer than this!" She chirped, checking his charts and smoothing the rumpled bedcovers. "But then I shouldn't be surprised, you got out with so few injuries considering the circumstances, maybe you're just meant to be a medical miracle!"

"Huh..?" Ed was having trouble keeping up with her fast-paced speech. He was sure his head shouldn't hurt this much.

"Well, I say _injuries_," She continued, as if unaware of Edward's input. "But the majority of it was taken out on your metal leg, completely crushed it was! Lucky it wasn't the other one, although I can't say it exactly did wonders for your ankle..."

The words 'completely crushed' echoed unpleasantly through Edward's head. Expecting the worst he glanced down under the covers. He was not disappointed. All that remained of his auto-mail leg were a few mangled remains (i.e some wires and springs still hanging on to the port, the actual auto-mail limb having already been removed) of his left leg.

Winry was going to _kill _him, death by spanner didn't exactly seem like a tempting thought at the moment.

The nurses constant chatter continued to register with Edward after the initial horror had sunk in.

"-you're lucky to be alive you know." She said, continuing to survey Fullmetal's chart. "Sad business, having to cut you both out and all, a shame really, your friend seemed like such a nice man..."

Icicles of terror froze up Edwards spine. _'Having to cut you both out...lucky to be alive...'_

Cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, Edward knew he wasn't going to like the answer to the question he was just about to ask.

Apprehension cracking his voice, he broke into the nurses flow of speech. "W-what happened...exactly?"

Eyebrows raised in shock the now silent women stared at him in bemused amazement.

"Huh..? You mean you can't remember?"

Finding his mouth suddenly incredibly dry, Edward shook his head.

"You were in a car crash dear." Her face was creased with worry. "A car crash, you both were."

For a few seconds there was silence.

And then Ed's memory kicked in.

"MUUUUUUUUSTANG!!"

Car. Kiss. Crash. The events were running through Edward's head so fast they were a painful blur. Mustang, he had to find Mustang. '_What if..?'_

He turned to the now terrified nurse. "Where is he?!"

"What..?" Her voice quivered under Fullmetal's intense glare. "Who..?"

"Mustang, Roy, my friend! Where is he?!"

She tried to regain dome control of the situation. "Mr Elric, I really don't think you should-"

"WHERE IS HE?!"

Ed's voice was so loud the poor woman had to cover her ears, yet it shocked her into telling him what he wanted to know.

"Second corridor on the left, third door down, but you _can't, he's_-"

At this point Edward had stopped listening, his mind intent on one thing only, _Roy. _He had to know he was alright, had to know he wasn't hurt.

Clapping his hands together he slammed them both down on the metal side of the bed, alchemising himself a pair of crutches, too impatient to wait for the hospital to provide him with a pair.

Swinging himself up and out of bed, adrenaline surpassing the shooting pains that ran throughout his body at the action, Ed began to make his way out of the room. Practice of walking with only one leg from years before giving him surprising speed.

Ignoring the exclamations of the stunned nurses and doctors he passed on the way to Mustang's room, Edward would not stop until he was outside the door to which he had been directed.

Praying to some unknown God that Roy was safe he pulled on the handle and entered the bleached white room...

It was empty.

Certain he had made a mistake somewhere Edward checked the nametag on the painted front of the door to make sure. It's heavy block capitals read Mustang's name correctly, but if that was so..._where was Roy..?_

_Did this mean Roy was...?_

Ed felt winded from the revelation, it was as if someone was twisting his insides the pain was so great. Falling onto the vacant bed with a heart wrenching sob Ed's pained screams were muffled by the hospital pillows.

_He had been too late...Roy had...Roy had..._

"Ed..?" The word barely reached Fullmetal through the sounds of his grief.

Disbelieving, Edward raised his tear stained face to meet the gaze of a stunned Roy Mustang framed by the open door.

"Roy..?"

The colonel looked exhausted, the skin visible a myriad of bruises in various stages of healing, one arm in a sling.

It wasn't that, however, that occupied the majority of Edward's attention.

An eye patch, smooth and sleek and darkest black covered the man's right eye, a heavy contrast to the man's pale skin.

All that Ed's overloaded mind could come up with at this moment was 'It matches his hair...'

"Your eye..." he managed to say, finding that his lips were having trouble co-ordinating with his brain.

Roy, still shocked himself by Edward's sudden appearance, attempted to calm the distressed Elric with an explanation.

"Broken glass from the windscreen, they tell me, nothing that can be done. I...I was at a special consultation...talking about what can be done about my eye, or rather," He laughed dryly. ", my lack of eye. But it's not too bad, apparently an eye patch is quite the fashion accessory."

Fullmetal continue to stare, his love's sudden return from what he had thought was the dead being too much for him.

Roy desperately tried to make a sad attempt at humour to ease the tenseness of the situation.

"No pirate jokes, eh?"

And, from a combination of shock, fear and relief, Edward burst into tears.

xXx

I wrote the entire chapter in a three hour sitting so if there are any problems with it I'd be really appreciative.

Anyone read the manga Shoulder a Coffin Kuro??


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